The Thurahalli Forest or Thurahalli Park is a dry and deciduous forest. It is located about 20 km from Bengaluru off Kanakapura , Kanakapura Road. It is 13 km from Banashankari and can be overseen from the NICE road. Entry inside the park has been banned for vehicles, however, it has become a hot spot for cyclists. It has a nice view and a small Shani temple on top of a rocky hill. As of today, Thurahalli forest is said to be Bengaluru's only surviving forest. Rocks in the forest provide one of the few outdoor bouldering opportunities to the cities residents and have multiple established routes.

Wildlife

Flora

The majority of trees are eucalyptus. During August, the orchids (''Habenaria roxburghii'') bloom, giving a brilliant white colour to contrast the green of the forest. The rocky terrains are great for lianas, the most common being Opilia amentacea. They bloom during the summer. These are mostly located in the Northern edge of the forest, surrounded by figs (''Ficus tinctoria''), nerale-mara (''Syzygium cumini'') and rocks. The most common herb is the ''Byttneria herbacea''. It blooms throughout the year. Its flowers attract many beetles. Legumes, specifically ''Indigofera karnatakana'' are found here. ''Ixora pavetta'' bloom during the summer. They have an intoxicating fragrance.

Fauna

Many animals can be spotted, including spotted deer, wild boar, hares, jackals, lizards, mongooses, etc. Turahalli is also famous for its bird population, which includes rare jungle birds like Horned owl, Eagle-owl, Sirkeer malkoha, Common flameback, common flameback woodpecker, and blue rock thrush, in addition to relatively common jungle birds like peafowl, Asian green bee-eater, Indian paradise flycatcher, paradise flycatcher, White-throated fantail, white-throated fantail flycatcher, jungle babbler, rufous treepie, black drongo, White-throated kingfisher, white-breasted kingfisher, pond heron, spotted dove, purple-rumped sunbird, Indian white-eye, oriental white-eye, barn swallow, red-rumped swallow, small minivet, white-browed bulbul, red-vented bulbul, common iora, Oriental magpie-robin, oriental magpie robin; birds of the plains like rufous-tailed lark and Pied bush chat, pied bushchat, in addition to common urban birds like house crows, Indian jungle crow, jungle crows, common mynas, black kites, brahminy kites, Rock dove, blue rock pigeons, Asian koels, and more.

Activities

Turahalli offers excellent biking trails. It is also among the few places within the city for natural rock climbing in addition to Avathi and Raogodlu. Rocks are granite, with various sizes and shapes. Many climbers practice regularly, in preparation for local or international competitions.

Endangerment

The forest is the last one surviving in Bengaluru. It has slowly been encroached upon. It has also been used as an illegal garbage dump, which has negatively affected the wildlife. Frequent fires during the summers, both natural and those caused by locals, have significantly impacted certain species of plants that grow in this forest. The BBMP also opened a sewage treatment plant near the forest. There is also a problem with poaching. Land has also been illegally cleared to grow crops. Over the past few years, efforts have been made by nearby residents to clean up and to prevent further encroachment and dumping of waste in the forest.

Gallery

File:View from Turahalli Forest.JPG, View from Turahalli Forest File:Temple near the view-point in Turahalli Forest.JPG, Temple near the view-point File:Turahalli Forest View point.JPG, View of city as seen from rock in Turahalli Forest File:Sunrise at Turahalli Forest.jpg, Sunrise File:Cycling Trail at Turahalli Forest.jpg, Cycling Trail at Turahalli Forest File:Turahalli forest Cycling Trail.jpg, Turahalli forest Cycling Trail

References

{{Bangalore topics #cleanupturahalli Forests of India Tourist attractions in Bangalore Rural district Geography of Bangalore Rural district Hindu temples in Bangalore Rural district